What Is Kratom? Why Is It Being Used for Opiate Self-Detox?

There's a surge in the use of Kratom for numerous self-medication purposes.

Currently, traditional opioid treatments include a range of behavioral psychotherapies, medication-assisted treatment (MAT using methadone, buprenorphine and the likes) and a range of specialty care facilities that serve patients in outpatient or residential settings. If you’re looking for an alternative to these traditional options, you’d be hard-pressed to find much, at least in the U.S.

But some plant-based medicines are helping people detox from opiates and kick their addiction.

Though Thai people have been chewing Kratom leaves or sipping it in their tea for at least two hundred years, it was outlawed by the government during the Greater East Asia War in 1943. In the last 10 years, Kratom has made its way to the United States, mostly sold in gas stations or tobacco shops (or head shops), and even at some juice bars.

Why? People have discovered the pain relief benefits of Kratom and how it can aid weaning off other, stronger, substances like Opiates. Still not entirely sure what Kratom is, or how on earth its leaves can help people overcome an addiction? Read on to find out more.

What is Kratom?

Kratom (also known as mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical evergreen tree in the coffee species and is native to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Papua New Guinea.

Leaves from the Kratom plant may be used to numb aches and pains, soothe fevers, treat diarrhea, manage diabetes, and alleviate addiction. They have also been applied as poultices to wounds or spread across the abdomen to drive out worms. It is a substance that has been used in traditional medicine practices since at least the nineteenth century.

Like coffee, Kratom works as a stimulant in small doses, giving you a slight buzz, like a caffeine hit. But larger doses of Kratom can be more sedating. Kratom leaves are made of two organic compounds, mitragynine (MG) and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-HMG), though hydroxymitragynine (7-HMG) has a high abuse potential, mitragynine (MG) does not, and may reduce intake of morphine. Sixty percent of the alkaloids in the plant leaves are MG (the less-addictive compound) and only two percent are 7-HMG (the addictive compound).

While these organic compounds are not true opioids, human and animal studies have demonstrated their effectiveness in pain relief.

A survey of 6,150 Kratom users found that 51% reportedly used it for pain, 14% for anxiety, and 9% for opiate withdrawal. According to the American Kratom Association (AKA), a pro-Kratom lobbyist group, five million people use kratom regularly.

What are the positives of Kratom use?

How can Kratom help people in recovery from substance addictions? There are a number of reported benefits of Kratom use, particularly for people struggling with opiate addiction.

Kratom’s opioid-like compounds provide pain and anxiety relief.

Kratom use has been widely reported to ease opiate withdrawal and can help users wean off of street drugs like heroin.

It could be a viable alternative to replace alcohol for some (although see negative elements of use below) as well since it promotes relaxation and sociability without the emotional/physical hangover and the short and long-term physiological effects of drinking.

“Fentanyls are killing tens of thousands of people. If Kratom is an alternative, it sure is one that is not, by anybody’s estimations, as deadly as the alternatives on the street." –Jane Babin, a patent lawyer, and molecular biologist.

What are the negatives of Kratom use?

If Kratom is an organic, coffee-like substance that provides pain relief and a sense of relaxation, it can't be all bad right? Unfortunately, like most substances, there are negatives to the use of Kratom too.

People can become addicted to Kratom (as they can to many rewarding behaviors and substances), though the withdrawal symptoms are not that severe and only last between one to three days. Pain and trouble sleeping are reported to be the most common symptoms.

Of particular concern are reports of seizures, which increased five-fold in Thailand between 2005 and 2011. Most Kratom-related seizures are attributed to adverse drug combinations, but they’re still a cause for concern.

Liver problems may also occur after as few as two to eight weeks of regular Kratom use. This could potentially be a significant problem for the notion of using Kratom daily as a replacement for other drugs.

Other physical symptoms of concern include nausea, itching, dark urine, abdominal pain, and jaundice. Heavy users might notice hyperpigmentation or darkening of the cheeks due to over-stimulation of melanocytes. Kratom might also be cardiotoxic; further research is definitely called for.

So what should we do about Kratom?

So do we put a ban on the substance, because of the potential risks? I think that the answer must be a clear no. Because that would only make it harder for researchers to study its potential benefits and do nothing to reduce the problems associated with Kratom.

As we've seen in the past (many, many, many times), a legal ban will have two primary consequences: Firstly, it will send the drug underground where quality and purity can't be controlled, and it will support violent and illegal organizations. This was the impact of prohibition, the impact of criminalizing cannabis and the impact of scheduling essentially every other drug that had entered the mainstream. Secondly, those who want to use it will either continue buying it through those illegal channels, meaning more people will get sick and hurt in the process while more criminal organizations will profit and fewer people will benefit, or they will find yet another still-legal option and we will go through the whole process again.

This is how criminalizing marijuana leads to spice and K2 and it’s how controlling amphetamines created amphetamine-like “bath-salts.”

Instead of being able to study a class of drugs well so that we can create REAL strategies and tools around dosages and use patterns and outreach, we keep trying to play whack-a-mole with the entire concept of intoxication.

It’s a losing war with many lost battles.

While there have been a number of human fatalities linked to Kratom and numerous negative side effects associated with its use, there isn’t a clear sense of the underlying cause. It’s clear that more research is needed! We shouldn’t shy away from alternative treatment options for substance addictions, as natural substances such as Ayahuasca can offer value to research into recovery.

Is Kratom legal in the United States?

While Kratom isn’t federally controlled in the United States, it is listed as a “drug of concern.” Due to the rising popularity, federal government regulators have made several unsuccessful attempts to ban it. Since 2015, the FDA has blocked foreign Kratom imports and in 2016, the Drug Enforcement Administration attempted to schedule Kratom in the same legal category as heroin or marijuana but stopped short in the face of unprecedented backlash from the public and congress members. The Department of Health and Human Services also recommended a ban in October 2017.

Individual states including Indiana, Wisconsin, Vermont, Arkansas, and Alabama, have banned the plant in various forms, while others have legislation pending.

For more information about whether Kratom is legal in your state, visit this map.

What’s the verdict on Kratom?

Let’s be clear, Kratom is a substance that may be addictive and have some physiological dependence features. It may also have opioid-like effects at higher doses. But based on the currently available science, it does not seem like Kratom is anywhere near as dangerous as heroin. Though more human clinical studies need to be completed (something that would likely get harder if they were to ban it outright) to determine whether the risk lies in Kratom itself, or when used in conjunction with other substances.

If it helps chronic pain sufferers and those struggling with opiate addiction to reduce their dependence on opiates, reduce their risk of overdose and improve their quality of life, I am all for Kratom!

Word of caution: You always need to consult with a physician (I am not one) when considering a new treatment option to ensure it is a good fit for you.

Finally, self-detoxing with Kratom may eliminate your withdrawal symptoms, but it will not address the reasons that drew you to use it to begin with (such as trauma, environmental stressors, anxiety, and more). Like with any medication-based treatment, it only treats the physiological symptoms. To get to the underlying issues that caused your addiction, you’ll need professional help.

I have been using kratom for 2 years now and it has enhanced my life beyond belief. I never dose more than 3 grams at a time and I don't get high, I get motivated. I have no desire to ever use opiates again. BTW, you sound like a propaganda machine the way you talk about it. Is that you Scottie boy? You are clearly ignorant of how it is actually used and why at the very least.

[quote=Anonymous]Its not a detox. Its staves off the withdrawals until they get their next handful of pills and they take it in excess. Like 30 grams of kratom to feel similar to how oxys make them feel.

Are you kidding me? That is a ludicrous amount and yes any idiot doing that is an addict.

So by your reasoning - alcohol, cigarettes, coffee - these should all be illegal too, for the few idiots who have a death wish regardless of choice of beverage.

Actually - my own therapist encouraged me to just cut back - rather than go full abstinence and that makes sense - period.

That hellish baptist guilt I was breed with - like you - sees a mere beer as evil. And that is actually indicative of your own issues - so stop projecting your guilts and lacks on others.

I have been using and promoting Mitragyna Specoisa for nearly 3 years for extra energy and alertness working a 10hr graveyard shift managing 1 of the largest nightclubs in South East Asia, and for pain relief from a number of previous injuries over the years. Many of those I have introduced to this leaf have returned to me with praise and comments of how it has greatly improved their quality of life. Several being able to wean down and eventually quit completely multiple pharmacuticals for various reasons. Anxiety, pain, depression, etc.
I applaud your article and unbiased opinion. This is probably one of the best I have read on the topic in the last 2 years. More often than not its clearly regurgitated propaganda from writers that have made no effort to truly research the topic and product.
Sadly, I have little faith that it will be left alone by the goverment and big pharma.

I sent you a message previously about the error in your article regarding legality in TN. During the last legislative session in TN, the law that would ban natural kratom was overturned. (HB1832 from the 110th legislative session for 2017-2018.) I sent the link to you. I have also asked the owner of speciosa dot org to update their website as well. I'm sure it's just an oversight on their part. Once you hit the link below, scroll down to where it says: "Majority Report #1 for HB1832/SB2258."
It will show you the new kratom law for TN. Since links aren't allowed in comments, I cannot post it here. I did, however, send it in my second message to you.

Thank you. We worked very hard, nearly everyday, for over 3 months, with a team of advocates, lobbyists and consumers to accomplish this and keep natural kratom legal in TN.

Your article is great, and it would be much appreciated if you could correct that part.
Synthetic kratom remains illegal in TN, but no one knows if synthetic kratom. even exists on the market today.
When kratom was initially outlawed in TN in 2013, it was thought to be a new, synthetic drug. This applies to all but one of the illegal states! Unfortunately, kratom was banned before they even knew what it was. It's quite tragic, but the hope is to overturn those state laws as well, and allow adults to consume kratom tea without the fear of going to jail.

The federal government has miserably lost the war on kratom, just as they lost the war on marijuana. It has to suck to be the DEA and being on the losing side in war. Over and over, and yet over again. And how powerful they think they are. Both the FDA and the DEA. We the People are showing the federal government who is really in charge, and where the true power lies. Many thanks to all the kratom warriors out there standing up to our federal government!

Isn't it funny how some people can read an article as being in support of their viewpoint (see the comments speaking about their experience with Kratom and expressing support for these viewpoints) and others can somehow view it as threatening?

I don't really understand what felt "shill-like" to you in here, since you didn't actually let me know.

But if you'd like to discuss your different viewpoint, I'd be happy to reply to it.

Not sure what you're trying to say. I wasn't referring to the article. I was referring to your declaration that the war to save kratom has been won, which if genuinely believed, is a ridiculously naive statement.

Kratom has given me my life back in eliminated my need for prescription pain medicine. Some other people have said: here's why the governments is against it, because it's a threat to the corrupt pharmaceutical industry and the government that benefits from that corruption, and it was also said that all the data on Kratom deaths are flawed meaning no one has ever died from Kratom use by itself. With thousands dying daily in this opiate crisis we need a weapon to save lives and for folks that just want to be healthy again Kratom is an option. I am grateful for another natural alternative one without the side effects that synthetic medication has. Keep Kratom legal,its saving lives,do your own research.And you have the freedom to use healthy alternatives to maintain you good lifestyle,use that freedom to help yourself and others.

I am a person that has lived with chronic pain due to trigrminal neuralgia, cluster headaches and several operations on my TMJ joints. I was treated very aggressively by doctors, but I decided to stop all opiates due to the fact that my pain became even more severe. The other reason is that if I have a very acute flare up or a cluster headache ER doctors will treat it aggressively as well as treating me like I’m seeking medications. You can’t fake a cluster headache and a lot of women don’t respond to abortive treatments. I only found out that an ER doctor wrote it in my chart after he administered ketamine, dilaudid, and Valium all at once. The next day, I called from home and asked what was wrong with me because I felt so off. I was then told that I had the worst reaction to ketamine they ever saw. They had to stop my heart from going into cardiac arrest. I wasn’t told that nor was my husband. I bitched them out and that’s when the ER doctor wrote something negative in my chart. It was dated the day after. The ignorance and stigma that I felt really effected me. I hadn’t been prescribed opiates in two years. This happens to a lot of pain patients and I refuse to put up with the snap judgments by any doctor. I then found Kratom. I do take gabapentin and balclofen for my nerve pain and kratom has been a godsend. I decided to go off opiates and I only wished I had known about Kratom then because the withdrawal was horrible. As a person that has chronic pain, I will never demonize anyone that many so called MD’s would call addicts. I believe that they self medicate for all types of pain. Kratom has saved many of their lives from illicit drugs that are laced with fentanyl. I really commend Dr. Jaffe for the way he thinks outside of the box. I feel that he uses fact based knowledge as well as his knowledge that there is a grey area. He should be proud that he not only helps those with an addiction but his views also help the chronic pain patients as well. I can understand that people can have negative thoughts about Kratom, but I really wish they wouldn’t demonize it. It comes with risks, but is not even in the same ballpark as traditional opiates. I have been on them all, and I do actually need them for extremely pain. I can no longer deal with the draconian approach that stigmatizes people. Kratom to me is something that allows me to treat my pain my way.

There are always risks when taking any drug. These substances can be laced with other drugs or even contaminated with salmonella. Kratom has gained popularity in the U.S. over the past few years as an alternative to opiates but it isn't regulated by the FDA. The main chemical in kratom attaches to the opioid receptors, offering similar results to taking an opiate painkiller. This means it can lead to adverse reactions, side effects and addiction. At Waismann Method, we have detoxed patients from Kratom who exhibited withdrawal symptoms closely resembling that of painkillers, like morphine. We all want and end to this crisis but replacing one drug for another isn’t the answer. There is no easy way out of this predicament except through effective medical detoxification in a hospital setting. Once fully detoxed, patients can work on underlying emotional issues that caused the addiction.

The only person that has any business judging whether that is true is the individual. I completely disagree with the idea that it's just as bad to be addicted to kratom as it is heroin or alcohol. But that and the other points you make are irrelevant. You can be dangerously addicted to alcohol, or even eating junk food but nobody is talking about banning either of them. Kratom alone is not going to kill anyone and the government has no business trying to keep people from using it.

has received consistently positive reviews, which is wonderful, but is also extremely expensive... Obviously not everyone can afford engaging in a $20k detox process before spending tens of thousands more on treatment...

Additionally, adverse reactions can be experienced using any approach and I actually see the impurity discussion as further argument that something like Kratom should be regulated and brought into the light instead of being used underground.

I know people who have successfully detoxed using Kratom and I know of some who continue using it in lieu of opiates.

The more options we have the more likely people are to find the one that fits them and that they can actually engage in.

this guy is pushing the Waismann method and charges money for it so it is through pure greed that he lies and misrepresents kratom as "might as well be another opiate" - - he is just trying to protect his own income stream - this is ignorant at best and evil at worst - by the way the ban in Arkansas was due to the greed of one rehab lizard who had an in with the state board of health - they did an end run around the state's legislators and thereby We the People (through our elected representatives) had no say and kratom was banned under cover of night (when all truly evil deeds are done)